Kats blast Dogs, face Broncs in playoffs

The Columbia Falls girls soccer team will head into the playoffs with a ton of momentum following a defeat of rival Whitefish 3-1 last Saturday.

The Wildkats out shot the Lady Bulldogs 20-8 and did an excellent job of controlling the ball — and the tempo — of the game throughout.

Sophomore Danielle Delventhal continued her stellar play, putting the Kats up 1-0 just 10 minutes into the first half.

The Bulldogs would answer with a goal in the opening minute of the second half, but it was all Kats after that. The girls played a stifling defense anchored by Gabby Keller.

 Cedar Jordt, Cortney White and Elena Potter controlled the middle of the field with sweet feeds to forwards Delventhal and McKenzie Kiser.

“It’s the best pair of forwards we’ve ever had that worked together,” coach Greg Trenerry said.

Kiser hammered in a goal 70 minutes into play to make it 2-1 and then Delventhal slammed home another shot four minutes later on a feed from Melissa Livingston to make it 3-1. Senior keeper Niesha Thompson also had a great game, blocking a point blank Whitefish shot to preserve the lead late in the second half.

The Kats finished the regular season with a 7-1 conference record and a 10-2 record overall. Whitefish also had a 7-1 conference record, but won the division because they beat the Kats 3-0 earlier this year.

“It was a great win,” Trenerry said. “A great confidence builder going into the playoffs.”

The girls will face Hamilton in an away game noon Saturday. Hamilton is undefeated in Southwest A Conference play, but Trenerry likes the Kats’ chances. He noted that Whitefish beat the Lady Broncs earlier this season.

If Columbia Falls can get a win in Hamilton, they’d have a home game the next week.